Work vehicles having lift assemblies, such as skid steer loaders, telescopic handlers, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, forklifts, compact track loaders and the like, are a mainstay of construction work and industry. For example, skid steer loaders typically include a pair of loader arms pivotally coupled to the vehicle's chassis that can be raised and lowered at the operator's command. The loader arms typically have an implement attached to their end, thereby allowing the implement to be moved relative to the ground as the loader arms are raised and lowered. For example, a bucket is often coupled to the loader arm, which allows the skid steer loader to be used to carry supplies or particulate matter, such as gravel, sand, or dirt, around a worksite.
Control systems have been disclosed in the past that allow for a pre-defined position for the loader arms or implement to be stored within a vehicle's controller. Upon selection of the pre-defined position by the operator, the controller attempts to automatically control the movement of the loader arms or the implement in order to move such component to the pre-defined position. Unfortunately, existing control systems often lack the ability to accurately position the loader arms or the implement in response to the operator's selection of the pre-defined position. For example, these control systems often utilize simple open-loop control algorithms that fail to provide the accuracy needed to properly position the loader arms or the implement at the operator-selected position. Specifically, conventional control systems often result in under-shooting or over-shooting of the operator-selected position.
Accordingly, an improved system and method for automatically controlling the operation of a vehicle's lift assembly to allow the loader arms and/or the implement to be accurately and efficiently moved to an operator-selected, pre-defined position would be welcomed in the technology.